Notable quotes:
“The more you understand your true identity and purpose, soul deep, the more it will influence everything in your life.”
“Jesus Christ sees people deeply. He sees individuals, their needs, and who they can become.”
“Through the power of the Holy Ghost, Christ will enable us to see ourselves and see others as He does.”
Summary points:
- Trust in God and in His timing.
- Understanding how God sees His children prepares the way to help them see others as He does.
- “Seeing deeply” requires individuals to ask the Lord for help and then act. Through prayer, the Lord can help individuals discern what is most needful.
Talk summary:
The Old Testament story of a young man who served the prophet Elisha teaches that each individual has the power to ask the Lord through prayer to “open your eyes to see things you would not normally see.”
With the Lord’s help, all can learn to see clearly “who we really are — sons and daughters of heavenly parents.” And when one’s true identity and purpose becomes clear, it is much easier to learn to see others as God does.
“As I pray for the Lord to open my eyes to see things I might not normally see, I often ask myself two questions and pay attention to the impressions that come. ‘What am I doing that I should stop doing?’ and ‘What am I not doing that I should start doing?’ “
These questions lead to opportunities to see others and act on behalf of the Lord to meet their needs.
The story of a young woman named Rozlyn, who noticed someone going through a difficult time and sought to meet her needs each week by checking in with her and offering her a hug, serves as a simple example of “seeing deeply” as the Lord does.
“As with all gifts the Father so willingly offers, seeing deeply requires us to ask Him — and then act.” By asking to see others and then acting by “loving, serving, and affirming their worth and potential as prompted,” individuals can set the pattern for becoming true followers and disciples of Jesus Christ.
“Others will be able to trust our hearts with theirs. And in this pattern we will also discover our own true identity and purpose.”
Through the grace of Christ, He will “bless us and increase our capacity.” Through the power of the Holy Ghost, “Christ will enable us to see others as He does. And with His help, we can discern what is most needful. We can begin to see the hand of the Lord working in and through the ordinary details of our lives — we will see deeply.”
In the news:
- Sister Michelle Craig joined participants in the 2020 Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Annual Training Broadcast on June 9. The broadcast addressed how to make teaching relevant and ‘astonishing.’
- In May, Sister Craig joined President Bonnie H. Cordon and Sister Becky Craven of the Young Women general presidency in inviting young women from around the world to participate in a series of challenges over the summer leading up to a special Face to Face event in November.
About the speaker:
- Sister Craig was sustained as the second counselor in the Young Women general presidency during the 188th Annual General Conference held on March 31, 2018.
- She received a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in elementary education and served a mission in the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Mission.
- She married Boyd Craig on Dec. 19, 1986, in the Salt Lake Temple. They are the parents of three children, and they have six grandchildren.
Recently on social:
- In a Sept. 27 Facebook post, Sister Craig expressed her excitement for general conference. She wrote, “Every one of us, in every season, needs to do some uphill climbing. … The Lord loves effort — and we should as well!”
- On Sept. 23, Sister Craig posted a reminder on Facebook that, “Our faith does not have to be perfect for Christ to do His work in us.”
- In a Sept. 1 Facebook post, Sister Craig shared a reminder that the pandemic, despite the problems and changes it has caused, will one day pass. She added, “We have a choice in how we will respond now and in the future, once restrictions have been lifted.”
- Sister Craig highlighted how she has changed the way she is studying the Book of Mormon this year in an Aug. 16 Facebook post. “Perhaps we can all be more intentional about carving out margins of quiet in our own lives where we can hear the voice of the Lord,” she said reflecting on her habit of writing thoughts and impressions in the margins of her scriptures.
- “We are all at different stages in life, and we all have different blessings and different challenges,” wrote Sister Craig in an Aug. 5 Facebook post. Her post reminded that by being more “intentional about seeking and acting upon personal revelation and direction” miracles will become increasingly apparent in one’s life.
